(PREMIERE) Little Coyote release Witness (LP)

Little Coyote are one of the more distinctive units I’ve had the
pleasure of hearing in some time. Their new single “Witness”, the band’s first
studio release since debuting in 2017 with the collection The Trouble with Teeth,
illustrates why. The haunting piano melody opening the track has a signature
quality I don’t often hear in any modern music coupling lyricism together with
a moody poetic feel complementing Teagan Johnson’s voice extraordinarily well.
The same deeply felt emotion we hear in the arrangement comes across in her
voice as well and elevates the already fine lyrical content several notches
higher without ever descending into bathos. The song, likewise, benefits from
superb production values that frame each of its musical elements in the best
possible light.

Little Coyote doesn’t rely on piano and vocals alone. There are
other parts incorporated into the arrangement making this track a winner for
listeners, especially its well-placed drumming, The earlier mentioned moodiness
of the piano might signal to some this is a downer track; far from it. Though
it grapples with adult themes, there is a surprising exultant feel to the song
thanks, in large part, to the emphatic quality of Johnson’s voice. At risk of
indulging cliché, Johnson sings like her life depends on the song coming off
for listeners and she held my attention from the first. Her range is a big
reason why but, moreso, her phrasing reinforces my feeling that this
performance means a great deal to Johnson and she wants to share its
importance with listeners willing to experience the song’s peaks and valleys.

The drumming is a crucial factor in bringing the song off for
the audience. It is never cluttered, accents the arrangement in all the right
ways, and the production highlights its contributions with an ear towards
balance and intergrating its sound in the overall package. Despite the band’s
avowed progressive, alternative, and folk influences, “Witness” comes off as an
arty ballad while avoiding any hint of pretentiousness. It’s a fine line to
walk and I’m accustomed to hearing long standing bands accomplish such things,
but Little Coyote are reaching those heights early on rather than toiling for
years perfecting their sound and approach.

Another of the factors making the
song stand out for me is its near perfect orchestration. When I refer to
orchestration, I am not referencing classical influences seeping into the
band’s artistic vision, but rather how they manipulate the song’s movement to
make the most of rising and falling emotion, building to deep emotional moments
and showing a sure hand for when to pull back on the reins. Some bands and solo
performers alike never learn how to fine tune such an approach. Little Coyote,
however, have an innate grasp of how to make a song flow in such a way that you
can’t stop listening and they never achieve it in a predictable or crass way.
Instead, “Witness” has a graceful trajectory nonetheless aching with emotion
and the balance they maintain throughout the entirety of the tune demonstrates
a confidence likely to sustain them throughout their careers. Some people are
born to make music and Little Coyote stands among their ranks.